Bluffton High first-year lacrosse coach Jen Landers wasn't surprised when her junior-year superstar Gabbie Tosky was selected as the state midfielder of the year along with being named to the All-State First Team by South Carolina high school lacrosse coaches.

She was surprised, however, when her peers named her state girls' co-coach of the year along with Wando's Ann McCormick.

"I was absolutely surprised," said the BHS coach, who moved to the Lowcountry last year from Maryland with her Marine husband Jon Landers. "I honestly look at this award as being won by the girls, not me. It's a true testament of what this team was all about.

"I don't want to sound like a broken record, but the girls did everything I asked of them. They learned to play as a team and trust each other. They were disciplined and hard-working, they never let up and there was no whining no matter what the situation, something opposing coaches obviously observed."

Something else her peers had to notice was the way she turned around a once-successful program that was reeling with three coaches during the last two spring seasons. The Lady Bobcats finished the year 6-9 after an exciting 16-14 home win over rival Hilton Head High in the first round of the Lower State playoffs before being eliminated by talented and deep Wando, 17-4.

Wando (12-2), the No. 2 Lower State seed, lost 13-12 in the next round to No. 1 Blythewood (16-0), which went on to win the first-ever South Carolina High School League-sanctioned state title game 14-12 over Upstate champion Riverside (16-2).

"It was amazing to me how our girls responded after that final whistle against Wando," said Landers. "There were no heads hanging. The overwhelming feeling was 'we can't wait until next season starts. A few of us attended the state championship game and we're planning to be there next year competing for the title."

Landers, who immediately gained the respect of her players as a former high school lacrosse star at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis before heading for South Bend, Ind., on a lacrosse scholarship at Notre Dame, loses only three seniors off of her 2010 16-player roster.

While she isn't short on praise about any of her players, Landers had glowing remarks on Tosky.

"Gabbie was deserving of the state midfielder of the year and first team all-state honors," Landers said. "She controls the midfield from the beginning of a game while playing fantastic offense and defense. She can play any position on the field. I have seen very few players who can match up with her."

Tosky, who amazingly started her lacrosse-playing career at BHS when she was a sixth grader at neighboring H.E. McCracken Middle School, scored 51 goals on 76 shots (67 percent), contributed 21 assists and won 135 of the 250 draw controls garnered by the Lady Bobcats in 413 attempts.

Another Lady Bobcat recognized was freshman attacker Hayley Trimmer, named to the All-State Second Team. Trimmer scored 39 goals on 65 shots and added 13 assists.

"Hayley is an outstanding player," Lawson said, "and I'm looking forward to watching her grow both on and off the lacrosse field."

Three members of the BHS boys' lacrosse team also were honored, led by junior Anthony Vecchio as a second-team all-state selection. Seniors Lucas Crutchfield and Hunter Whitney were named to the All-Lower State Second Team.

Crutchfield departs BHS as the school's all-time leading scorer with 176 goals achieved since his eighth-grade year at McCracken.

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